Brits double online spend to £40bn

Online sales doubled in the UK last year to nearly £40bn, according to the government.

The Office of National Statistics has calculated 2003's internet sales have more than doubled on the previous year's figure of £19bn. Most of those spending virtually were business - homes accounted for around a quarter of all online sales last year, paying out £11.4bn.

Other non-internet electronic sales - made over email, fax or automated telephone entry, rose slightly - from £170bn in 2002 to £195.6bn last year.

Web spending looks set to continue apace, with analysts predicting that European consumers will give e-tailers some Christmas cheer.

A recent report from analyst house Forrester said that internet sales this Christmas in Western Europe will rise 44 per cent on last year's - rising to €13bn. The UK will remain the web's big spender, according to Forrester, contributing a third of all online sales in Europe and paying out £3bn.

Travel and clothing will be the biggest revenue generators for online companies, the report said.